Folding crate



'(No Mode-1.)

, 8.0. MYERS.

-FOLDING CRATE.

Patented 00L 3, 1.893.

x(Nc Model.) 2 sheets-sheet 2.-

- S. C. MYERS. FOLDING CRATE.

No. 506,181. Patented oct.; 3,1893'.

@moe/what INITED -STATES" vPATENT j OFFICE.

SAMUEL C. MYERS, 0F MIFFLINTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA.

FOLDING CRATE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters lPatent No. 506,181, dated October 3, 1893.

Application led November 9, 1892. Serial No. 451,422. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

.I Se it known that I, SAMUEL C. MYERS, a

citizen of the United States of America, resldlngat Miftlintown, in the county of 'Juniata and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Folding Qrates, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings. My invention relates to an improved folding crate for the shipment of poultry, vegetables, fruit, dac.; and it has for its object the production of a crate having the desirable features of a close bottom and a wire top, and which can be folded into the smallest possible space.

The invention will first be described in connection with the accompanying drawings, and'then pointed out in the claims.

.Flgure lof the drawings is a perspective view of the crate open, but with one of the bottom sections folded up. Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view of the crate taken through the line .fr on Fig. l, showing one section of the bottom raised as when the crate is folded. Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the crate folded. Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the crate folded. Fig. 5 is a perspective detail view of a portion of the wire top. Fig. 6 is a detail view showing the manner of pivot- 1ng the parts of the framework together.

The framework of the crate is rectangular 1n shape, being composedv of side frames A and top and bottom end rails A', said frames and rails 'being made preferably of light channel iron. On each corner of the side frames A there is formed a pintle l, on which the ends of the end rails A are pivoted, said rails being perforated at 2 for that purpose, washers 3, over which the ends of the pintles are riveted, serving to hold the rails in place, all as clearly shown in Fig. 6. It will be apparent, however, that instead of forming these pintles integral with the side frames I may employ rods passing through said frames for a like purpose. Wire netting Bis secured in the side frames; but I prefer to use rods C instead of wire netting between the end rails, in order to brace these rails against undue frictional contact with the side frames at the pivotal points. Only a portion of the length of each pair of end rails is occupied by these rods, there being a space 4 left at one end, to be closed by a door D, of wire netting, hinged to one of the rods C in a manner to permit it to swing either inward or outward.' The door-opening 4 in one end of the crate is diagonallyopposite to that in the other end, this arrangement permitting a portion of each bottom section to move out into that open space when the crate is folded, as seen in Fig. 4, thereby allowing the crate to be folded in a more compact form than would otherwise be possible. Furthermore, by having a door-opening in each end ofthe crate, and these openings diagonally'opposite cach other, the bottom sections may be conveniently reached when it is desired to fold Y them.

The crate is provided with a close board bottom formed in two sections, E, each hinged atl 5 to the lower rails of the side frames A in a manner to permit said sections to fold back against the wire netting B and flush with the inner edge of the side-frame rails, as clearly shown in Fig. 2.

At each end of the crate, on top of the lower-rail, is secured a narrow cleat F, against which abut the ends of the bottom, sections when they are folded down onto said rails, as seen in Figs. 1 and 2, thereby preventing longitudinal movement of said sections and holding the crate open. The bottom boards and end doors, when closed, may be secured by any suitable fastenings (not shown).

The top of the crate is formed of longitudinal wires G, secured at their ends to the bottom of the -upper end rails, and transverse wire H, secured at their ends to the upper side rails, the wires H being loosely looped lon the wires G, as shown at 6 in Figs. l and 5, whereby they are permitted to freely slide along said longitudinal wires while the crate is being folded without becoming twisted or buckled.

In folding the crate it is only necessary to swing the end doors inward and backward and turn the bottom sections backward, as seen in Fig. 4, when the ends of the crate may be turned on their pivots so as to bring the side frames close to each other, in which condition the parts may be secured by means of a hook 7 on the top rail of one of the side frames adapted to engage with an eye 8 on IOO are pivot-ed to the side-frame sections at their corners, and having a Sectional hinged bottom, each end section having a door-opening at one end, said openings being diagonally opposite each other, and doors for closing said openings adapted to turn both inward and outward.

In testimony whereof I ai'lx my sign ature in presence of two Witnesses.

SAMUEL C. MYERS.

Witnesses:

SAMUEL CLnoK, XVILLIAM G. GRAY. 

